You have always had a way with people. You know what makes them tick, you can tease out their hearts’ desires after a few minutes of conversation, and with a few leading questions you can read like they were children’s books. It’s a useful talent, and one that you’re perfectly willing to use for your advantage
You know what people want and you deliver, or rather, you promise to deliver. Common sense should steer people away from things that sound too good to be true, but common sense seems to be in short supply when you’re around. The bottle of pink-colored liquid will surely cure that unseemly rash, this ointment–nothing more than a bit of fat with a sprinkle of silver dust–can restore youth and vigor, and there’s a bridge in the city that just happens to be for sale. These marvels sound implausible, but you can make them sound like the real deal.
- Skill Proficiencies Deception, Persuasion
- Tool Proficiencies Disguise kit, Forgery kit
- Equipment A set of fine clothes, a set of common clothes, a set of traveler’s clothes, a disguise kit, a forgery kit, a quill and ink, and a belt pouch containing 50gp
Feature: Pick Your Victim
You have an innate talent for spotting vulnerable people. For this, you are a natural at reading people who aren’t on the defensive. You have advantage on insight checks that are not contests (i.e. insight vs deception).
Suggested Characteristics
Charlatans are colorful characters who conceal their true selves behind the masks they construct. They reflect what people want to see, what they want to believe, and how they see the world. But their true selves are sometimes plagued by an uneasy conscience, an old enemy, or deep-seated trust issues.
d6 | Personality Trait |
---|---|
1 | I take pride in getting others to do things for me, things I have to do but dislike doing. |
2 | I have a joke for every occasion, especially occasions where humor is inappropriate. |
3 | I can butter up even the toughest of crowds. |
4 | I’m a born gambler who can’t resist taking a risk for a potential payoff. |
5 | I lie about almost everything, even when there’s no reason to. |
6 | I have a tendency to speak in circles. |
d6 | Ideal |
---|---|
1 | Independence. I am a free spirit—no one tells me what to do. (Chaotic) |
2 | Fairness. I never target people who can’t afford to lose a few coins. (Lawful) |
3 | Charity. I distribute the money I acquire to the people who really need it. (Good) |
4 | Creativity. I never run the same con twice. (Chaotic) |
5 | Friendship. Material goods come and go. Bonds of friendship last forever. (Good) |
6 | Aspiration. I must become great at many diverse things. (Any) |
d6 | Bond |
---|---|
1 | I fleeced the wrong person and must work to ensure that this individual never crosses paths with me or those I care about. |
2 | I owe everything to my mentor—a horrible person who’s probably rotting in jail somewhere. |
3 | Somewhere out there, I have a child who doesn’t know me. I’m making the world better for him or her. |
4 | I prefer taking the role of people I admire. |
5 | A powerful person killed someone I love. Some day soon, I’ll have my revenge. |
6 | I swindled and ruined a person who didn’t deserve it. I seek to atone for my misdeeds but might never be able to forgive myself. |
d6 | Flaw |
---|---|
1 | I can’t resist a pretty face. |
2 | I’m always in debt. I spend my ill-gotten gains on decadent luxuries faster than I bring them in. |
3 | I’m convinced that no one could ever fool me the way I fool others. |
4 | I’m too greedy for my own good. I can’t resist taking a risk if there’s money involved. |
5 | I can’t resist swindling people who are more powerful than me. |
6 | I hate to admit it and will hate myself for it, but I’ll run and preserve my own hide if the going gets tough. |